“Yeah, Yukinov's a good man,” Cameron said to placate Tennler, but hoped to quickly change the subject. “Now we got Jamison upstairs. Hope he remembers we don't all ride Assault 'Mechs.”
“Nothing to worry about,” Dominguez assured him, oblivious to the near start of mayhem. “Old Jamison has been herding 'Mechs for longer than most of us have been around. Zeta Battalion may be full of Assault 'Mechs, but I'm sure he knows a light from a heavy. Why, I haven't heard of him sending a Locust up against an Atlas in two or three weeks.”
Laughter rippled through the group, defusing any remaining tension. The idea of a twenty-tonner duking it out with a massive, hundred-ton Atlas was funny. That is, if you weren't the Jock piloting that Locust, Dechan thought.
“At least, he ain't like that prissy Satoh. Don't know how the Ryuken Jocks can stand him,” Rand remarked when things calmed again. For some reason, she seemed fascinated by the Draco command. Dechan decided that might be a way to catch her attention.
“Could be worse. I'd thought that Akuma creep would take over,” Dechan offered. That got nods of agreement, including one from Rand.
“Naw, he left,” Dominguez said, taking center stage again. “Think he went out on the same D-Ship with Iron Man.”
“No lie? Thought he'd want to be around to take whatever it is we're after.” Rand mimed, clutching something valuable to her heart. Her act got more laughs.
“Damp it!” Tennler cut in, voice low. “Here comes Stone Face!”
Major Chan was indeed headed in their direction, accompanied by Captain Amy Laskowski of the hastily assembled Light Company. Behind them, Dechan could see the other company commanders heading off to their own units.
“All right, troops. Our spotter has called in,” Chan announced. “Our pigeons are on the way and will be here soon. I know most of you have new lancemates for this operation. Keep it in mind! Don't rely on a buddy who isn't there. I don't want any losses because somebody is running on reflexes instead of brains. Got it?”
Among the chorus of “Yessirs,” Dechan also heard a dutiful “Yes, Daddy.” He couldn't tell who the wise guy was, but Chan hadn't heard it. Laskowski might have, though. There was the ghost of a smile on her face as she returned Chan's salute. The Major sprinted off toward his Crusader-L.
“Saddle up!” the Captain ordered, and the ‘MechWarriors scattered to their machines. Johansson ran alongside Dechan, grinning from ear to ear in anticipation. “This'll be easy.”
“Don't get too cocky,” Dechan cautioned him. “We still got to get through the Fed heavies.”
“We'll do it. All the Feds here are low-class mercs. The White Witches are the best they got on this rock, and I hear they didn't do so well against Delta on Quentin. Delta, for Unity's sake! Now they're facing Alpha. We're the best.”
While Johansson clambered into his Javelin, Dechan started up the chain ladder hanging from the cockpit of his own Shadow Hawk. Once seated, he slipped on the neurohelmet and buckled up as the 'Mech's systems came to full power. As Lance Commander, he checked with the others and received ready signals from all three. Dechan then linked into the taccomm circuit to report his unit ready.
When all lances signaled readiness, Chan fed the video from the scout position to all commanders. The Federated Suns convoy looked tiny on Dechan's cockpit screen. The dozen BattleMechs pacing the trucks and hovertanks in the column could have been armored men running alongside toy cars. Dechan knew better.
Moving along the highway at about 40 KPH, the Davion column passed the hidden position of Fraser's Lance. The BattleMech lance providing advance guard had already passed out of sight, headed down the road away from the ambush site. Still to be seen was the rear guard that the scout had reported, another 'Mech lance.
“Hit 'em!” Chan barked over the taccomm when the Fed column was in position.
Chan's Command Lance cut loose with a barrage of long-range missiles to open the attack. The rockets fell among the lead elements of the column. Their main target, the convoy command vehicle, disappeared under a cloud of black smoke.
From where Dechan stood concealed in Millon's Woods, he could see the confusion wrought by the sudden assault. The loss of the command vehicle and the sudden appearance of more than a dozen enemy BattleMechs had thrown the Davion convoy into chaos. The cargo trucks jerked to a halt while fighting vehicles and 'Mechs started to spread out in uncoordinated formations. Dechan could pick up their chatter on the comm. Though the words were hidden in electronic codes, the patterns plainly indicated their confusion.
Chan's team took advantage of the Feds' disarray to close the distance between the forces. The Dragoons moved forward at full-tilt to cut off the head of the column. While the Major's lance deployed to meet the expected return of the advance guard, the rest of the team, Uchimaya's Company, moved to attack the column.
At last, the Davion defenders began to react. Saracen and Scimitar hovertanks fanned out from the road, their blowers finding the rolling terrain almost as congenial as the paved highway. The flanking 'Mechs began to form a line between the Dragoons and the Fed trucks, whose cargo the Dragoons sought.
Before those trucks could organize an escape from the battlefield, the rest of the Dragoons broke cover. Fraser's Lance was running right flank guard to the main strike force of Stane's Company and the Light Company. Half a klick away to the south, Captain Waller led the jump-capable 'Mechs of Yukinov's Battalion to oppose the Feds' rear guard.
Stane's Company had little trouble swarming past the few 'Mechs and tanks that had fallen back to intercept them. Dechan spotted one Davion BattleMech and three or four tanks smoking on the field, all bearing the naked, whitehaired sorceress insignia of the White Witches. The survivors recoiled on their own forces, which were themselves being pressed by Uchimaya's Company.
“Easy as falling down, boss,” said Johansson, commenting on the lack of opposition Fraser's Lance met in their dash to the highway.
Dechan ignored him as he ignored the futile small-arms fire from the troops with the trucks. He was too busy relaying Laskowski's orders to direct the fire of his lance in support of Stane's Company. Fraser's Lance and the rest of Light Company provided cover while Stane's 'Mechs ripped open the trucks. They were looking for crates marked with the black bird symbol, which the Kurita spy had said would signal the components of the loot they sought.
“Company coming,” Dechan warned the Captain as he spotted a lance of Witches preparing to mount a spoiling attack.
While Stane's troops continued loading up, the Light Company sent the Davion mercs reeling back with a storm of missiles and energy beams. Then Stane called the order to scoot over the taccomm. In seconds, the Dragoon 'Mechs had deserted the highway.
As his lance headed away from the road, Dechan looked back to confirm that the rest of the Dragoon raiding force had cleared the Davion battleline. As near as he could tell, everything was aces. Stane's Company and the rest of Light Company were covering ground in good order, with Stane herself carrying the biggest of the crates marked with black bird symbols. Waller was headed up the highway; apparently, they had never had to engage the Davion rear guard. In the northeast, Chan's team was conducting a fighting retreat toward the Shaw.
“Caught 'em with their pants down,” Johansson crowed, referring to several of the Davion heavies that had positioned themselves across the Dragoons' presumed path of retreat. They were caught out of range when the fast-moving raiders continued across the highway instead of retreating back to the woods.
“Wishful thinking, kid,” Dominguez said, deliberately misconstruing Johansson's reference. “Those Witches aren't interested in green meat. They only take veterans.”
The Davion machines had yet to mount any serious pursuit by the time Fraser's Lance reached the edge of the Shaw. Dechan cut off the banter between his lancemates as he thundered toward the rim.
“O.K., guys! Let's go!” Dechan triggered a burst from his Hawk's jets and launched his machine out over the
void. Johansson's Javelin rocketed past him, the lighter 'Mech almost twice as fast in the air as the Hawk. The rest of the lance followed.
When the Javelin neared the ground, it became trapped in a glittering web of energy beams. Armor melted and flowed as unimaginable energies struck. The staccato roar of a heavy autocannon beat a macabre tune to which the light 'Mech jerked in rhythm. Even a novice knew when a BattleMech had taken all it could. Johansson punched out.
It might have been an accident, or it might have been malevolent intent—the ejector seat's path intersected with a charged particle beam. Structural metal and fragile flesh vaporized under the blue lightning, and the seat's fuel flashed to explosion in the sudden heat. “Erik!” Dechan shouted uselessly. To avoid the same fate, Dechan continued his jump, making random movements all the while in an attempt to break targeting locks. Smoking from hits by hostile energy beams, the Shadow Hawk struck ground with a violent jolt. The 'Mech's autocannon almost snagged the machine to a halt before it tore loose from its housing and let the Hawk continue on. Dechan headed for cover before he dared check the source of the lethal assault on Johansson.
In the meantime, the hostiles had begun to direct their fire on the new targets drifting down into the valley. Dechan watched far too many take serious damage from the fusillade. With the enemy's attention diverted, he risked popping his 'Mech up for a look at the unknown assailants.
At least a full company of BattleMechs was advancing down the riverbed toward his position. They were not Witches—that was clear from their markings. Each 'Mech prominently displayed a yellow disk with a. black figure. Dechan focused his optics on the leading Centurion and brought up the magnification. The yellow disk carried the black silhouette of a prancing stallion, which Dechan instantly recognized as the unit badge of the Eridani Light Horse. The Horsemen were the only serious contenders to the Dragoons' title as the most elite mercs in the Sphere. They were tough and tricky.
Dechan knew that if things were bad before, they were now about to get very messy.
23
Ryuken Field Camp, Barlow's End
Draconis March, Federated Suns
3 October 3026
The Ryuken command hut was hot and the air stale, for it did not enjoy the air conditioning that Alpha Regiment's fusion-powered mobile headquarters vehicle boasted. The hut also lacked the MHQ's computer and holographic display facilities.
Nonetheless, for the two days of skirmishing leading up to the diversionary attack on the Achernar facility and the ambush of the Davion transport column, Tai-sa Elijah Satoh had been directing the Ryuken from the prefabricated structure. Upon taking command, Satoh had refused to enter the Dragoon MHQ and had ordered the hut erected as a sign that he, in Lord Kurita's name, was in charge.
Michi Noketsuna stood next to the commtech monitoring the radio band linking the commanders to the ambush team. Prior to the attack, radio traffic had been kept to an absolute minimum to avoid detection. Dragoon Major Chan had broadcast the attack command to headquarters as well as to his troops, signaling that the ambush had begun. Since then, traffic had been erratic and not very informative. But that was understandable because it required so much attention to coordinate the raid. He checked the time. Soon, Chan should be transmitting confirmation that the raiders had achieved their objective and were heading for the Shaw River valley.
Michi looked across the hut at Tai-sa Satoh. The man's uniform was pristine, his motions fastidious, and his disdain for the junior officers readily apparent. He was not a man to inspire warriors. Not like Minobu-sensei, Buddha care for him!
Days had passed since Michi had watched the MedTechs pry Minobu's battered body from the wreckage of the skimmer and load him onto a hovercraft bound for one of the DropShips' medical facilities. Minobu had been alive then, but the chief medic had seemed dubious about his continued survival. There had been no word on Minobu's condition since. Akuma, who had gone along on the hovercraft, had refused all of Michi's calls. Instead, he had sent Satoh and left the planet on the DropShip that carried Minobu away.
Tai-sa Satoh arrived the morning after the accident. His observer's commission from Warlord Samsonov contained a clause allowing him to step in as commander of the Ryuken in the absence of a senior officer in the chain of command, which he had done. He also carried Akuma's proxy as Liaison Officer. In an address to the Ryuken officers, Satoh spoke of the good fortune for House Kurita that he, an experienced officer of command rank, was on hand to step into the gap when an accident had claimed the Ryuken commander.
“Claimed Minobu,” the man had said. As though Minobu were already dead! Michi found Satoh's presumption infuriating. Minobu-sensei would not die. He was too great a warrior to die in an accident.
Regardless of his concerns, Michi was chained to the present. His loyalty to House Kurita bound him to serve under Satoh, much as he wanted to follow Minobu, to stay by his side.
A loud voice near the center of the hut caught Michi's attention. It was Dragoon Colonel Jamison approaching Satoh about his worries. “Look, the ambush has come off. It's time to give our people some cover.”
“Your people, Colonel,” Satoh corrected punctiliously. “The Achernar Proving Grounds are not yet invested. Until then, your 'Mechs are to continue to participate in this portion of the operation. It is all in the master plan.”
“At least send your light 'Mechs down to cut the highway across the dam.”
“Not possible at this time, Colonel. They will go when the Achernar facility is isolated. The timing of all phases is specified in the plan.”
“Plan! Plan!” Jamison shouted. He set his jaw and breathed noisily through distended nostrils. “The plan doesn't call for unnecessary deaths. If you stick to that piece of paper, you'll be killing people.”
“There are always deaths in battle, Colonel. Once we've encircled the Achernar facility, we will proceed to the next phase of the plan.”
“Then you'd better do your part. Zeta has already taken its objectives, according to the plan. It's your troops that haven't come through.”
“I am aware of that, Colonel.” A hint of annoyance crept into Satoh's voice and one corner of his mouth dipped into a petulant frown. “The Ryuken has run into unexpected resistance. A Davion mercenary unit, previously unanticipated, has appeared in the city. There will be a slight delay in completing the encirclement.”
That was too much for Jamison. He threw down his stylus and turned his back on Satoh. The Kuritan shrugged off the Dragoon's gesture and went back to reviewing reports from the Ryuken officers and comparing them to the maps spread on the center table.
Michi took advantage of Satoh's preoccupation to catch Jamison's eye. When he had the Dragoon's attention, he pointed to the commstation, then to his own ear, and finally at Jamison. The Colonel nodded and moved to the comm-deck the Dragoons had set up to relay data from Alpha Regiment's MHQ. Jamison picked up a headset to listen, but kept his eyes on Satoh.
Once he was assured that the Dragoon was being brought up to date, Michi gave Satoh the word that the ambushers had themselves been ambushed by the Eridani Light Horse. The Tai-sa's face was impassive as Michi relayed the request for support from the beleaguered Dragoons. When Michi finished his report, Satoh acknowledged the news with a curt nod. Dismissing Tai-i Noketsuna with a wave of his hand, he returned to study the maps.
Jamison tossed down the headset and stormed up to Satoh.
“Wasn't word from the Shaw enough to get you moving? My people tell me that it's the Eridani Light Horse that's been holding up things in Landova as well.”
“Yes, Colonel,” Satoh said in a bored voice. “I believe that was the identification from the field.”
“And do you know their strength?”
“Not exactly, Colonel.” Satoh paused to collect a flimsy and peer at it carefully. “Battlefield intelligence reports in excess of two companies in the city.”
“Two companies! Unity, man! That means there's more than a battalion of Ho
rsemen out there! This changes everything. Give up on this sham attack in Landova and pull out! We've got to regroup our forces until we know what we're facing.”
“No.” Satoh's visage was grim and unmoved, a rock to Jamison's storm waves.
“I'm not going to wait until they hand us our heads,” Jamison warned.
“Colonel, I would think very carefully before taking action in defiance of the plan approved by your PSL officer, the Coordinator's representative. Consider your contract.”
Jamison pulled himself to full height, towering over the man he faced. In a hard-edged voice, he said, “The contract requires us to fulfill our part in any approved plan. Zeta Battalion has fulfilled its objectives in that approved plan. To. The. Letter.”
Jamison turned on his heel and signaled the other Dragoon officers in the hut. They dropped what they were doing and followed him out. The last to go pulled the commdeck behind him, not bothering to close the door.
Satoh stood stiffly, arms at his side, watching them go. When a Kurita guard closed the door, Satoh turned to Michi.
“Tai-i Noketsuna, record that the Wolf's Dragoons commander-on-planet has abandoned his post. This hour. This date.”
“Hai, Tai-sa,” Michi acknowledged. Duty compelled Michi to do as he was ordered, and Minobu had taught him that duty was all to a samurai.
* * *
Jamison's evaluation of the situation made sense. Satoh's rigid adherence to the plan went against the principles that Minobu held for the Ryuken. Things would have been different if he had been here. But Minobu was not here. Satoh was. Michi's stomach churned as he did what he was told.
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